Growing up. It’s a bear. Harder for the Enemy to separate you from your money.

First is WHAT to do:

1). And that is records. . FUELLY app or pen & journal. Having recorded every single gallon over time. In a years time this is how one proves an approach. Tank by tank is meaningless.

Second is HOW to do it

2). And that is by eliminating unnecessary miles. Engine starts. Combined errand trips. 90% of Americans go to 90% of the same places 90% of the time. Find the fuel efficient route and head to farthest point from home and work back.

Third is maintenance & repairs.

3). The vehicle needs to be brought up to date per time & miles in factory-scheduled service. This is vital.

Without these three, no claims to better efficiency can be examined. These are fundamental.

On a year-by-year basis one is competing against one’s self to show a PERCENTAGE DECREASE in fuel use. Accomplishing the same things.

The convenience of a car is in its ownership. Not stupid operation (“Hello, America”.)

Emissions reduction is already done, first by best vehicle choice, and second as above.

A). Vehicle is first that which can carry the family. With luggage. Screw this up and the rest won’t matter. The only “single people” are orphans. The job of young to middle-aged adults is also their care of the youngest or oldest.

B). A plan for length of ownership. Annual budget that covers every expense.

A car is a business proposition. As with a house. For most, this is the basic plan in life. To screw it up as to utility is to have missed their importance. It’s a really bad character reference.

Fuel economy is only a subset of overall household economy. The entirety of the family budget (car shown as a percentage), as it is expressed as an annual cost per mile of ownership.

Insurance that replaces the vehicle or returns it to new. Etc.

This is the number that matters. CPM

Second to that is both safe operation, and operation to maximize longevity. The vehicle AND its components.

Fuel economy doesn’t add up to one-half of the above. Nor is it particularly important. It’s only a gauge of doing things right. Same as with brake or tire life.

The typically dumb American thinks of a car as a monthly finance note and insurance bite, then the cost of fuel. And then he wants to try magic to modify the car to cut fuel cost. With no changes in use. With no changes in attitude.

The winning formula is in cutting annual miles where with planning one cut the excess. Excision.

Stunt driving, stupid practices such as tire over-inflation, and more that cuts utility, or magic devices are the wrong path.

Building a garage will do more to “economize” than anything else, if we are to spend money to save money. The longest-lasting car (in daily use) is the economical one. Weatherproof storage is how to achieve it.

To recap:

Keep records.
Find the cents-per-mile cost of all pertaining factors.
Apply that against annual fuel burn.

Thus, the CPM is pretty well fixed

It’s gallons used that can be modified. This modification is primarily better planned use.

Having cut annual miles, then drive the remaining miles at the highest level of skill that is first safety, second longevity, and third, FE.